Natural or artificial bituminous rook



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15'. V. GREENE. APPARATUS POR REDUGING NATURAL 0R ARTIFIGAL BITUMINOUS ROCK.

Patented Nov. 12, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.'

E. V. GREENE. APPARATUS PoR RBDUGING NATURAL 0R ARTIFIGAL BITUMINOUS 300K. No. 415,167. Patentedlov. 12, 1889.

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UNITED STATES YPATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS Y. GREENE, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BARBER ASPHALT PAYING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING NATURALOR ARTIFICIAL BITUMINOUS ROCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,167', dated November 12, 1889.

Application filed July 8, 1889. Serial No. 316,805. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern: ings. Fig. is the closed end of one of the 5o Be it known that I, FRANCIS Y. GREENE, a wicker cylinders. Fig. (i is the open end of citizen of the United States, residing at New one of the wicker cylinders. York, in the county of New York and State A indicates the walls of the stack made of 5 of New York, have invented new and useful brick or stone and of either rectangular, cir- Improvements in Apparatus for Reducing cular, or other convenient or desirable form, Natural or Artificial Bituminous Rock; and and of suitable dimensions for the amount I do hereby declare the following' to be a full, of material to be heated, say about six feet clear, and exact description of said invention, in diameter and from thirty to forty feet in 1o reference being had to the accompanying height.

drawings, and to the letters of reference B is a lire-brick arch located near the base 6o marked thereon, which form a part of this of the stack and which separates the stack specification. into two chambers C and D, which prevents My invention relates to improvements in the products of combustion `formed in the 15 devices for reducing natura-l or artificial bichamber C from coming into direct contact tuminous rock to a condition in which it can with the material to be heated in the cham.- be used for rooiin g and paving purposes. ber D. The object of my invention is to provide E are a series of iues leading from the fireineans by which the various forms of bitumichamber C and extending up into the walls zo nous rocks-f. e., sandstone or limestone conof the stack, said fines being arranged to open taining from eight to fort-y per cent. of bituiniinto the chamberD through a series of open- 7o nous material-can be reduced to a iinely-diings a, so that the hot air and gases from the vided condition by the application of heat furnace or lire-chamber will be directed into withoutinjuryto the same; and to this end my and through the material to be treated. The 2 5 invention consists in subjecting the bituini` heat used is by preference that generated by nousmaterial to the action of dryheat on open the burning of coal-oil supplied through a gratings or in wicker cylinders, so that it will pipe F in the ordinary manner at the bottom be reduced to a finely-divided condition withof the chamber O; but other fuel may be emout destroying any of its cementing qualities. ployed to produce the requisite heat.` 3o As heretofore practiced,these materials have G is an inclined partition or chute made of been reduced to powder by the application of heavy sheet-iron, and extends across the cham- 8o steam,which is injurious to some of their comber D at an angle of aboutforty-five degrees ponent parts. These materials have also been and completely closes the stack, so as to preheated in shallow pans or kettles; but in such vent any of the material from passing through 3 5 manipulations or treatment the material is it and dropping onto the arch B. In connecliable to be burned, coked, or otherwise iution with this inclined plane of metal is an jured by the heat, so that it is necessary to opening through the side of the stack closed keep the material constantly stirred at the by a door H, of any suitable or desirable coneXpense of great labor in order to prevent the struction. 4o above-mentioned destructive effects. At suitable intervals above the inclined Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plane G are arranged a series of iron screens 9o vertical sectional view of one form of my de- I, I', I, I and I, which are firmly atvice. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on tached at one end by hinges and bolts to each the line a: of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a top or plan alternate side of the stack, and are sustained 45 view of one of the gratings on which the maat any angle by means of the rods K and terial is supported while being subjected to chains L. These chains L pass over a pulley the caloritc energy. Fig. a is a vertical sec- M on top of the stack, and are fastened near tional view of amodified form in which wickerthe base of the stack to a suitable shaft havwork cylinders are used instead of the grating eccentric disks or other suit-able devices for raising or lowering the screens, so that they can be kept at such an angle as experience may show to be best suited.

an iron plate or other suitable device, the interior of the stack communicating with the external air by means of the smoke-stack N, said smoke-stack being provided with a suitable damper O, by which the temperature of the stack is regulated.

P is an elevator mounted in suitable supports in the top of the stack, said elevator being provided with the usual buckets for hoisting material to be heated to the top of the stack.

The operation of this form of construction is as follows: Bituminous rock, which, as bcfore stated, may be either the natural rock or an artificial mixture of sand and asphalt or other bituminous material, is broken to the size of about three (3) inches in diameter and carried up and deposited or dumped into the top of the stack. The material first falls onto the upper screen I, the spaces between the bars of which are of proper size say from two to two and one-half` inches. The temperature of the stack being between 300O and `4000, the edges of the material are softened by the heat until it passes or can pass between the bars ofthe screen, and then falls uponthe second screen I, the bars of which are slightly nearer' together than the screen above. In the same manner the heat softens the material until it can pass between'the bars of the screen I, and rolls along said screen in this manner, falling onto screen I and finally onto the screen 1. From the screen 1 the material is discharged in the form of a hot sticky powder upon the inclined plane or chute G until it reaches the door H. The material is now discharged through the door H in the proper quantity into a measuring-box of the usual form, and then conveyed to a mixing-machine of the usual pattern, where it is thoroughly incorporated and a certain amount of pure bitumen or asphalt is added, if necessary, in order to have the proper proportions in the mixture. The hot mixture is then ready to be taken to the streets and laid as a pavement in the ordinary manner.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification in which wicker cylinders R are used instead of the screens heretofore described. In this construction thematerial to be treated is fed into the end of the cylinders, as shown at arrow L, and is moved over to the other end .byA means of helical blades S, where it is ejected, as indicated by arrow 2, onto the chute T, which directs it onto the chute V, from whence it is discharged into the end of the second cylinder, as indicated by the arrow 3. Any desired number of these cylinders may be used,

and the meshes of the iron wicker of which The top of the stack is closed by means of the cylinders are made may be of different sizes, as heretofore explained with reference to the screens shown in Fig. 1. The lowest cylinder discharges the material onto the chute Gr, as indicated by the arrow 4.

The cylinders R are mounted in suitable bearings and adapted to be rotated in any convenient or suitable manner.

It will be noticed that only dry heated air is admitted to the stack, and that, as a consequence, the material vis reduced without bringing it into contact with the more destructive elements of combustion.

What I claim isl. In a device for reducing natural or artiicial bituminous rock, a series of screens or gratings of different mesh, arranged one above the other in a suitable stack or chamber, said stack or chamber being heated with hot air from a suitable furnace.

f 2. A device for reducing natural or artiicial bituminous rock to a powderedV or semiplastic condition, consisting of a stack in which are mounted metallic screens for the reception of the material to be treated, and a series of flues leading from the combustionchamber and discharging into the stack at different points, whereby the material is heated and reduced by coming in direct coutact with heated air, as set forth.

8. In a device for reducing natural or artificial bituminous rock, a stack and a furnace communicating with said stack through flues in the side walls thereof, and a series of screens of diiferent mesh arranged one above the other in the stack, as set forth.

4. In a device for reducing natural or artificial bituminous rock, a stack and a furnace communicating with said stack through iiues in the side walls thereof, and a series of adjustable screens pivoted alternately to each side of the stack, whereby the material to be treated gravitates from one side of the stack to the other in its descent, as set forth.

5. In a device for reducing natural or artificial bituminous rock for paving and other purposes, a series of movable screens mounted in a stack, said stack being heated by hot air from a suitable furnace, and an inclined plane or chute located below the screens, provided with a suitable door, whereby the reduced material is collected, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS V. GREENE.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. VHITTHORN, EDsoN S. CHICK.

IIO 

